Key Votes
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About the Selection and Descriptions of Key Votes
Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:
- The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
- The vote should be clear for any person to understand
- The vote has received media attention
- The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
- Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added
Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.
For more information about the legislative process, see here.
results per page:
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 1, 2021 | IN | SB 389 | Repeals State Law Regarding Wetland Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| Jan. 21, 2021 | DE | SB 33 | Amends State Clean Energy Standards to Require Renewables Generate 40 Percent of Electricity by 2035 | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| Jan. 12, 2021 | NY | S 528 | Amends the State Constitution to Ensure the Right to a Healthy Environment | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 14) |
| Jan. 4, 2021 | MA | S 2995 | Amends State Climate Goals | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 2) |
| Nov. 18, 2020 | PA | HB 1808 | Defines Waste Classification in the Recycling Industry to Encourage Investment | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| Nov. 17, 2020 | PA | SB 790 | Repeals Certain Oil and Gas Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| Nov. 16, 2020 | NJ | S 2484 | Establishes the Office of Clean Energy Equity | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Oct. 1, 2020 | CT | HB 7008 | Expands the Existing Environmental Justice Law | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 1) |
| Oct. 1, 2020 | CT | HB 7001 | Amends The Connecticut Property Transfer Act of 1985 | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0) |
| Sept. 22, 2020 | VT | H 688 | Establishes the Global Warming Solutions Act | Veto Override Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| Sept. 9, 2020 | PA | HB 2025 | Requires Legislative Authorization Before Entering a State or Regional Greenhouse Gas Cap-and-Trade Program | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| Aug. 27, 2020 | NJ | A 3367 | Requires Installment of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Common Interest Communities | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
| Aug. 27, 2020 | NJ | S 2607 | Requires Municipal Master Plans to Factor in Climate Change | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
| July 22, 2020 | NY | S 6502 | Prohibits the Use of Glyphosate on State Property | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 15) |
| July 21, 2020 | NY | S 5612 | Increases Protections of Certain Streams and Protected Waterways | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 17) |
| July 13, 2020 | PA | HB 732 | Establishes Tax Credit for Companies that Invest and Create Jobs Building Petrochemical or Fertilizer Plants using Dry Natural Gas Produced in Pennsylvania | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) |
| June 29, 2020 | NJ | S 232 | Requires the Evaluation of Environmental and Public Health Stressors | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| June 26, 2020 | VT | H 688 | Establishes the Global Warming Solutions Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
| June 17, 2020 | National | HR 1957 | Great American Outdoors Act | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 25) |
| June 11, 2020 | CO | HB 20-1265 | Establishes an Emergency Notification Service for Air Quality Incidents | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| June 10, 2020 | CO | HB 20-1143 | Increases Maximum Fines for Air and Water Quality Violations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| May 27, 2020 | OH | HB 242 | Prohibits Local Government from Enacting Fees on Plastic Bags in Stores | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| May 20, 2020 | LA | SB 440 | Limits Environmental Lawsuits Against Oil and Gas Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| May 19, 2020 | VT | S 337 | Establishes New Programs to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 2) |
| April 22, 2020 | VA | SB 883 | Establishes the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| March 10, 2020 | WY | HB 200 | Establishes Low-Carbon Energy Standards and Subsidizes Carbon Capture Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 10) |
| March 9, 2020 | WA | SB 5323 | Establishes Standards for the Use of Plastic Bags at Retail Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| March 8, 2020 | VA | SB 710 | Expands Renewable Energy Tax Credits | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 12) |
| March 7, 2020 | WV | HB 4615 | Increases Penalties for Critical Infrastructure Protesting | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 5, 2020 | NJ | A 2371 | Requires Recycling of Food Waste | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| March 5, 2020 | WA | HB 2311 | Requires State Greenhouse Gas Emissions be Reduced to Zero by 2050 | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| March 5, 2020 | NJ | S 864 | Prohibits Single-Use Plastic Bags and Styrofoam Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| Feb. 18, 2020 | NM | SB 2 | Establishes an Electric Vehicle Tax Credit | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18) |
| Feb. 3, 2020 | IN | SB 438 | Establishes Regulations for Pesticides | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| Jan. 29, 2020 | FL | SB 172 | Prohibits Local Governments from Prohibiting Certain Drugs and Cosmetics | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| Jan. 22, 2020 | VA | SB 318 | Reduces Number of Balloons that Can be Released per Hour | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Oct. 17, 2019 | National | S J Res 53 | A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Repeal of the Clean Power Plan; Emission Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Existing Electric Utility Generating Units; Revisions to Emission Guidelines Implementing Regulations" | Bill Failed - Senate (41 - 53) |
| Sept. 13, 2019 | CA | AB 792 | Increases Recycled Plastics Percentages Used in Plastic Beverage Bottles | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| Sept. 11, 2019 | CA | SB 8 | Prohibits Smoking at Public Parks and Beaches | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| Sept. 11, 2019 | CA | AB 936 | Amends Environmental Protections Relating to Heavy Crude Oils | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| Sept. 10, 2019 | NC | SB 553 | Establishes the Regulatory Reform Act of 2019 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
| Sept. 5, 2019 | CA | AB 1162 | Prohibits Single-Use Plastics for Personal Care Products at Lodging Establishments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| July 17, 2019 | OH | HB 6 | Amends Clean Energy Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| July 8, 2019 | CA | AB 1054 | Establishes Wildfire Victim Compensation Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| June 30, 2019 | OR | HB 2007 | Reduces Number of Diesel Trucks Allowed in Specified Counties | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| June 27, 2019 | NH | HB 582 | Establishes a Greenhouse Gas Rebate Program | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10) |
| June 27, 2019 | NH | HB 326 | Expands Protections for Wetlands | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |
| June 27, 2019 | NJ | A 3726 | Requires Food Waste Recycling Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| June 19, 2019 | NY | S 2000 | Establishes Regulations for PFAS Chemicals in Food Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 6) |
| June 18, 2019 | NY | S 6599 | Increases Renewable Energy Goals | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 21) |
| June 11, 2019 | OR | HB 2509 | Prohibits Single-Use Plastic Checkout Bags | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| June 10, 2019 | ME | LD 1282 | Establishes a "Green New Deal" | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| June 6, 2019 | DE | HB 130 | Prohibits Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| June 4, 2019 | ME | LD 1532 | Prohibits Single-Use Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| May 29, 2019 | OR | HB 2623 | Establishes Temporary Ban on Fracking | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | SB 54 | Requires Single-Use Plastics be made from Recyclable Materials | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | SB 1 | Rescinds Federal Freeze of Environmental Deregulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | SB 210 | Establishes a Smog-Check Program for Diesel Trucks | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| May 28, 2019 | CA | SB 43 | Establishes the Feasibility and Practicality of Assessing the Carbon Intensity of Retail Products Subject to the Sales and Use Tax Law | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| May 27, 2019 | AZ | HB 2753 | Authorizes Environmental State Budget for Fiscal Year 2020 | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| May 26, 2019 | TX | HB 3557 | Increases Penalties for Pipeline Protesting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| May 21, 2019 | CA | SB 307 | Prohibits Water Transfers from Desert Groundwater Basins | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 13, 2019 | NE | LB 155 | Amends Eminent Domain Provisions to Apply to Renewable Energy Generation Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 0) |
| May 9, 2019 | IL | SB 9 | Establishes Coal-Ash Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| May 1, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1261 | Authorizes Regulations on Greenhouse Gases | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| April 30, 2019 | FL | HB 771 | Prohibits Municipal Governments from Prohibiting Plastic Straws | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| April 27, 2019 | WA | HB 1652 | Establishes a Paint Stewardship Program | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| April 25, 2019 | ME | LD 289 | Prohibits Use of Foam Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| April 25, 2019 | WA | SB 5993 | Increases the State Hazardous Substance Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| April 22, 2019 | WA | SB 5135 | Authorizes the Department of Ecology to Ban Certain Chemicals in Consumer Products | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| April 19, 2019 | WA | SB 5001 | Authorizes Composting of Human Remains | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| April 12, 2019 | WA | HB 1578 | Requires Tug Boat Escorts for Certain Oil Barges | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| April 11, 2019 | OR | SB 90 | Prohibits Single-Use Plastic Straws at Restaurants Unless Asked For | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| April 5, 2019 | MD | SB 285 | Prohibits Use of Foam Containers | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 13) |
| April 3, 2019 | CO | SB 19-181 | Amends Local Environmental Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| April 2, 2019 | MD | SB 516 | Establishes Renewable Energy Standards and Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| March 31, 2019 | NY | S 1508 | Prohibits Retail Stores from Using Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22) |
| March 26, 2019 | MD | HB 298 | Establishes Oyster Sanctuaries | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| March 26, 2019 | National | S J Res 8 | A joint resolution recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (0 - 57) |
| March 21, 2019 | VT | S 55 | Establishes Regulations for Toxic Substances and Hazardous Materials | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| March 20, 2019 | IA | SF 548 | Amends Land Purchase Regulations for Water Quality Testing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| March 13, 2019 | CO | SB 19-181 | Amends Local Environmental Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| March 6, 2019 | NM | SB 489 | Authorizes State Investment in Renewable Energies | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 9) |
| March 5, 2019 | HI | SB 522 | Prohibits Certain Plastics | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 1) |
| March 5, 2019 | MD | SB 285 | Prohibits Use of Foam Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| March 1, 2019 | WA | SB 5116 | Increases State Clean Energy Efforts to be 100 Percent Carbon Free by 2045 | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 28, 2019 | National | PN 22 | Nomination of Andrew Wheeler to be Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency | (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 27, 2019 | National | PN 22 | Nomination of Andrew Wheeler to be Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency | Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 46) |
| Feb. 25, 2019 | IN | SB 553 | Authorizes Public Use of Shore of Lake Michigan | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 19, 2019 | OR | SB 256 | Prohibits Oil and Gas Exploration In Coastal Waters | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| Feb. 12, 2019 | National | S 47 | Natural Resources Management Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 8) |
| Dec. 5, 2018 | MI | SB 1197 | Establishes Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Oct. 29, 2018 | NJ | S 678 | Prohibits Disposal of Fracking Waste | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| Aug. 1, 2018 | National | HR 6147 | Interior, Environment, Financial Services, and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019 | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
| July 31, 2018 | MA | H 4857 | Increases State Clean Energy Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| July 30, 2018 | MA | H 4835 | Authorizes Funds for Climate Change Adaptation and Environmental Protection | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| June 12, 2018 | MI | SB 542 | Establishes Pesticide Notification Registry | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| June 12, 2018 | MI | SB 653 | Establishes a New Environmental Rules Committee | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| June 12, 2018 | MI | SB 654 | Establishes an Environmental Science Review Board | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| June 12, 2018 | MI | SB 652 | Establishes 11-Member Stakeholder Committee to Review and Amend Environmental Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate |